Lost Inside A Scream

"How do you feel about animals, Penny?" Ms. Morrell asked, looking up from my file.

"They're...animals." I shrugged. I didn't particularly like individual sessions with Ms. Morrell. The questions she asked were weird. Pus she still looked at me like I could be helped. Everyone here knew that wasn't an option. Hasn't been for some time now. I've been here since I was thirteen. I still scream at night. Even when under close watch, I would be found in random rooms or trying to leave. No treatment could keep me from hearing things. I was a lost cause and everyone here understood that. Except Ms. Morrell.

"Well, what do you think about working with them? Like, at a veterinary clinic?" Okay, last time I checked, Eichen House didn't employ any vets. And we weren't allowed to leave unless we were discharged. So that had to be hypothetical. And hypothetical questions were, in my opinion, a waste of time.

"I think that's a pretty unlikely career choice for someone who will be spending the rest of her life in a mental facility."

"But what if you left?"

"I stopped asking myself that two years ago."

"Well I'm asking you it now, and I need you to answer it."

She really didn't seem like the therapist type. Weren't they supposed to be nice and helpful? Whatever. It's not like she was going to do anything to improve my condition, so why bother trying to sugarcoat anything. "I think that sounds fantastic!" I said mock-enthusiastically, an obviously fake smile plastered on my face, both of which I knew pissed her off. Morrell wasn't one for bullshit.

She smirked. "Good, so I'll go ahead and tell my brother you'll be starting at the clinic once you're released tomorrow."

"Nice try, but April Fools isn't for a few more months."

"That wasn't a joke, Penelope. I've talked it over with your parents and the doctors here. The plan is to have you discharged tomorrow."

I blinked a few times before raising my eyebrows. "Seriously?"

"Yes."

"But I'll have to come back for therapy everyday, right?"

"No, working with my brother will take the place of that. We both know it wasn't doing much anyway."

"And why are you doing this?"

She smiled. "I think it'll be good for you."

●●●

I walked up to the entrance of Beacon Hills Animal Clinic, pushing a strand of hair behind my ear before reaching out to open the door. A bell rang as it shut, signalling my arrival. My eyes scanned the office for a moment until the man I presumed was Ms. Morrell's brother came out from the exam room.

"Penelope?" He asked, a soft smile on his face. I nodded and he pushed the door in the wall that divided the area behind the desk from the waiting room. "Come on back. I'm Dr. Deaton."

I nodded before following him back into the room he had come from, pausing when I noticed another person standing by the metal table.

"Scott, this is Penelope; Penelope, this is Scott."

"Oh, um, you can call me Penny. I go by Penny." I told them both as Scott looked up from whatever it was he was doing.

"Nice to meet you, Penny. Glad to have some extra help so I don't have to do all the dirty work." Scott grinned, walking around to where I stood. "Kidding. There's nothing bad about working here."

I began to wonder if they had been told to be nice to me, but the thought was quickly pushed from my mind when I realized that wasn't like Ms. Morrell.

"So, Penny, is there anything you can't do or aren't comfortable doing or are you okay with anything?" Dr. Deaton asked.

"Um, I've kinda forgotten how to tie knots after almost four years without any type of string around."

"Don't make her deal with any poop." Scott added.

"That too." I laughed with Scott.

"Okay, then why don't you two go feed the dogs and cats?"

I made my way over to the door, which Scott opened for me. "After you." He gestured, a big smile on his face.

Okay, so maybe working here wouldn't be too bad. I still didn't get why I wasn't at Eichen House though.